True happiness
by LadywithaBow16
Summary: This is a continuation of Downton abbey: starting from the year 1932, and ending in 1945. Will events tear apart the happiness these characters have worked so hard to build, or will they prevail, and stand strong, side-by-side? *Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Downton abbey, only the characters I created for this Fanfiction*
1. Ripples

1932

"Look at this" Edith said "Look at the legacy you've created"

Cora smiled. "Oh it is wonderful, isn't it?" Even when she was now sixty-five years old, her mother was still the most beautiful woman Edith had ever met, inside and out. Her hair had still only just started to turn grey, and her wrinkles were barely noticeable with such a smile beaming from the middle of her face "And you must be so proud, all those Gregson and Pelham girls running – and crawling – around"

Edith smiled as she thought of her girls. Marigold was soon to be ten – and very gifted, or so she was told by the teachers at her school. It was a relief that even though it had been so much trouble to figure out how it was going to work, the result was a perfect end to an ordeal. Violet was seven years old in a month, and had both the Crawley and Pelham look to her. Emily was five, and followed her sister everywhere. Isabella was the splitting image of her grandfather, Robert, which most found hard to believe, but when shown a portrait of Robert as a child next to her, were left shell-shocked. Rosamund, or 'little Rosie' looked like a little Edith, and was only one years old. "Yes, it truly is"

"Happy birthday, Aunt Cora!" Mother and daughter turned around to the image of Rose and Atticus standing illuminated in the light. "Rose!" Cora cried, and immediately jumped up to embrace them both. "How are you? How are the Children? Oh I have so many questions. We haven't seen each other for so long!"

Edith let them wonder off and walked herself towards the centre of the Party. There were many faces she had not seen for a long time. Anthony Gillingham, Evelyn Napier, Aunt Rosamund , even uncle Harold had come all the way from America to his sisters birthday. There were also many faces she saw regularly; such as Mr and Mrs Bates, Cousin Isobel and Lord Merton, Tom and Laura Branson. Mary was there with Henry too, and George and Robbie were hanging around their feet as children do. George was eleven now, and Robbie was seven. "Hello Mary" Edith greeted Mary, smiling warmly. They had scrambled, fought and hugged their way to a rocky relationship, and were still trying to smooth it up a little. They certainly were doing a lot better these days.

"Hello Edith. Doing well, I hope?"

"Yes, very well indeed. How's Henry and Toms business been going?"

"Alright. There were some financial troubles before, but the shop has expanded. They bought a neighbouring store. They're actually in the process of combining them right now."

"I knew they'd do well" Mary smiled a true smile. Edith returned it. "And the children are well?"

"And as mischievous as ever!" Mary laughed "you have no idea how difficult little boys can be! And together…"

"Oh but I do know about little girls! At least Marigold is sensible. Must be influence from Sybbie. Speaking of Sybbie, can you believe Sybbie is twelve?"

"I know! You should have seen Tom speak when someone – I forget who – asked about her. I had never heard him so proud! Although I suppose that means that twelve years ago, Sybil died."

"Oh I miss Sybil so much. I often think what it would be like if she were here now. At least Tom's happily married to Laura now. Imagine if I had've written a story about it. 'My brother-in-law ran off with my editor'" Mary gave a chuckle at that. After a short silence, Edith then said "I'm going to head over to Isobel now. I'll see you around" and with that she weaved around Mary and stepped towards Isobel, Lord Merton and Dr Clarkson in what appeared to be the middle of a discussion about spondylolisthesis. "May I interrupt?" Edith said.

"Oh! Edith! How lovely to see you!" Isobel said enthusiastically. "We were just having a very interesting conversation and back pain diagnosis and treatment! Care to join?" Edith tried her hardest not to laugh out loud. "Well, I would. Bertie sometimes experiences back pain. But I must go and greet some other old friends first." She walked over to the side to take a breath of fresh air. She could go over to her Mother, Uncle Harold, Aunt Rosamund, Rose and Atticus who were talking merrily, or she could go over to her father, Anthony Gillingham and Evelyn Napier who were drinking and conversing in the corner. There were many other friendly faces among the crowds of people, but Edith felt like a moment alone. She looked around, and spotted the fountain about 500 metres away.

It's funny how ripples work, Edith thought to herself, hand in the water. Sort of like families. One person says or does something, and it grows into a beautiful creation. Unlike ripples, however, families were not clean and smooth, and did not have perfect precision. Ripples also eventually faded. She remembered what Mary had said before, about how twelve years ago Sybil had died. Though there had been many births in her family these past couple of years, death had not left the Crawley family untouched. Shrimpie. Grandmother Levinson. Granny. Oh, Granny, It was so strange without her.

Edith remembered that night three years ago. She had been torn with despair, because it seemed impossible that Granny could die. Her soul, strange though it may sound, felt… immortal. She tried to remind herself that she should not dwell on death, but on the life lived by the deceased. That's what everyone said to do.

To stop the tears from overflowing from her eyes, she thought of all her parents' grandchildren running around. There were her girls, Mary's boys, Sybbie and Kieran (Tom and Laura's son) and Rose's children Victoria, Anthony and Jacqueline. There was Charlie, the Bates child as well. He had grown up with the Talbot and Crawley children at Downton, and so was part of the family too.

"Edith?" said a voice. Edith looked up.

"Hello Bertie. I was just thinking about old times." Edith laughed. "It's Ironic, isn't it"

"How?" he said, a puzzled look on his face.

"Well, we always celebrate moving on to a new chapter of our lives by dwelling on the past. It seems sort of ironic to me." Bertie smiles.

"I suppose you're right, my love. Shall we go back to the Party, or do you want to talk?" Oh, I love his kind, considerate ways so much. I hop up and kiss him to show him. He smiles. I notice he seems to be growing a moustache. It would suit him. "Lead the way, Sir Pelham" And off we go, Lady and knight, back to the laughing and drinking and old faces and new ones.


	2. Plan (not real chapter)

Hi everyone! Sylvie here! I'm going to run you through what we are going to do with this story.

First of all, I will try to write and publish a new chapter every week, but there may occasionally be delays due to my being at school. Luckily, as I am writing this, here in Sydney we are approaching the Christmas holidays. Yay!

As for inside the story, I'm going to try parallel the series. This fan fiction will hopefully take place over thirteen years, as it was in the series, but it will go from 1932 - 1945. Hopefully also as I go along and my writing skills improve I can make longer chapters. Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy.


	3. A secretive City

Mary

Last night's party had been wonderful. Mary had had many conversations with old friends and family. There had been drinking, and a buffet, and even dancing near the end. Mary had been able to show off how good she was at reeling, which she never tired at doing. But the night was shadowed by what happened after.

 _Mary, Mary, quite contrary,_

 _How does your garden grow?_

 _With silver bells, and cockle shells,_

 _And pretty maids all in a row._

When she was younger she loved that song. That was mostly because it had her name in it. It seemed so innocent back then. When I was older, however, I began to understand what it meant. I still don't know for sure. It could be about Mother Mary (the mother of Jesus), with 'silver bells' being church bells, 'cockle shells' the symbols of pilgrims, and 'pretty maids in row' being nuns. It could also be about Mary, Queen of scots, with "how does your garden grow" referring to her reign over her realm, "silver bells" referring to Catholic cathedral bells, "cockle shells" implying that her husband was not faithful to her or hinting to her love of exotic food such as cockles, and "pretty maids all in a row" referring to her ladies-in-waiting. The only other option would be Mary I of England and her reign. "How does your garden grow?" is said to refer to her lack of heirs. It is also said to be a punning reference to her chief minister, Stephen Gardiner. "Quite contrary" would describe her personality well. "Silver bells and cockle shells" are said to (quite unpleasantly) torture devices. The "pretty maids all in a row" is speculated to be a reference to miscarriages or the people lining up to be executed.

Mary turned around and looked towards the pale face in front of her. It had remained beautiful, although Mary realised that she soon must accept that she was middle-aged. The reason she didn't was because with middle age came wrinkles; and with wrinkles came ugliness. Mary could not bear the thought of being Ugly. All those years of struggles her beauty had stuck by her.

"M'lady? Are you ready?" Anna's voice cut into Mary's train of thoughts.

"Yes, I suppose" Mary adjusted her Ivory Pearl Tassel Necklace and touched the silky tassel. Even though she kept up with the latest fashions she also liked to think of the good old days. By her opinion, all the new trends should have bowed down to the much superior 1920s look. She had kept her hair in the same bob cut. "We'd better get off, haven't we?"

On the train, Mary thought of how Edith seemed so contempt with her life. She remembered those many years ago when she had nearly botched Edith's only chance of a true happy ending. She remembered the despair she felt right after she had done it, and how she and Edith fought. She shivered. At least she had reunited them, and they had ended up with a blissful marriage, with a bountiful amount of Daughters. That was one thing. Edith hadn't given Bertie a Son to carry on his name. Mary had assured Edith that they themselves should be proof enough that no son was necessary.

"Last week's party was wonderful, don't you think Anna?"

"Yes, well, Charlie enjoyed it very much! He and Robbie ran around until dark! He does miss him, you know, when he goes away to school" Mary smiled at the thought of Robert, her son. What Anna said was true, Robbie and Charlie were almost inseperable.

When Mary and Anna got off the train, they were greeted by Henry. "My, my, London is changing with the times, isn't it?" Mary remarked

"Why, Mary, you haven't seen the least of it!" Henry exclaimed. Mary embraced Henry. Although she was proud of him for all his accomplishments, she missed him every time he went away. Especially in these times. She hadn't told him yet.

* * *

"Sybbie, I've been thinking" George said. Sybbie noticed the glint in his eye.

"About what, George?"

"About what we'll do when we're older. What if, when Henry and uncle Tom are too old to work, we took over the Car business. Just the two of us. I suppose we couldn't change the name of the shop, but you'd still be a Branson"

"Oh George, why so serious?" Sybbie laughed "Of course, you're forgetting that the only thing that could make our fathers stop working would be Death! Besides, I'll probably have to marry, and then I wouldn't be a Branson anymore!"

"George! Sybbie!" Cried Isobel.

"Grandmama!" George cried and ran up to hug her. Sybbie followed close behind.

"Good afternoon Aunt Isobel" She said politely.

"Oh look at you both! Oh I forget how fast you grow at this age. Shall we go have a cup of tea?

* * *

As soon as Edith walked through the door of her apartment, she heard the pitter-patter of feet down the hall. "Mummy!" the huddle of children cried. Edith hugged them all in turn and let Bertie do the same after. She answered all their questions about her time away.

"All right girls, I'll tell you more at dinner, but I have to go see Rosie now!" Edith walked into the nursery. There, Rosie was being rocked by her nanny. "Here I'll take her" Edith said quietly. Even after having five children, Edith still found it hard to believe that all her girls had grown inside of her.

Marigold slipped in the room. "She said mama a lot while you were gone, you know" She stated, as she descended into the chair next to Edith. "Did she? Well, I'm here now my little darling" As Rosie went to sleep; Edith put her back in her cradle. "So, Marigold, I was thinking we'd go up to Downton soon, and we'd bring you and all your sisters too" Edith had wanted them to come to Cora's party, but it just hadn't been possible. "That would be fantastical! I haven't seen George or Sybbie, or anyone else for ages!" Edith laughed as Marigold ran out to tell her sisters. Marigold certainly was a character.


End file.
